The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-11-15
THE BLACK QUEEN,
Who Rules Her Progeny to the
Fourth Generation.
THE STORY OF THE PEARS0LL FAMILY

SOUTH FLORENCE, Ala, November s.
Especial. Near this place lives a colored
family, the story of whose existence is full of
example for their white neighbors.
The family is composed of widowed
mother so years old, a daughter Sarah b years
old, and five sons, viz; John, who is so years
old and married, Thomas, 4S years old and
married; Ben, As years old, unmarried Rich
ard, SO years old and married, and Robert, "a
years old and unmarried, These ages are
given in the start that it may be known how
old they were, the boys especially, at the time
of the surrender, In 1865, when the family
first realized that they were free and had to
start out to plan and labor TO support them
selves; because their success from that date is
one of the remarkable features about them.
They were illiterate and full-blooded negroes,
not drop of white blood coursng their veins.
The mother and all of her children remained
with their old mistress, the widow Parthena
PearSol, until the close of the late war; faith
fully serving her wants and wishes, doing all
i'll their power to protect her and her interests,
running and Secreting her stock III the noun
tainS near by to keep the federal soldiers or
Others from taking them. After the surrender
they wotked ON the place as share-croppers UNI
til the winter of 1869, and by that time were
able to provide stock, wagons and farming inn
plements, so MS to go to farming at their own
three hundred and sixty acres of land of the
Pcarsol estate on four years time, for which
they paid up the last dollar in the fall OF 1874
being in all eight thousand and one hundred
dollars. In the fall of 1873 they purchased one
hundred and sixty acres from DIR. VIM Jar
man, for which they paid cash twenty-three
hundred dollars. So n I've years they paid for
five hundred and twenty acres of land, ten
thousand four hundred dollars as the net
profits of the five years labor.
bAep n bnrdnr StI1l0plp
for farmers TO accumulate, but these indus
trious negroes have built for themselves, Chat
is those who have familieS,) good and substan-
tial frame residences barns and all necessary
farm Improvements; also good ginhouSe and
cotton press with which they gin and bale their
own cotton. They, too, have all necessary
stock for the use OF horses, mules,
colts and hogs-and are generally prepared to
pay the cash for whatever they buy. They
have acquired some education in the mean
time, and those who have children afford them
means and opportunities to obtain an educa-
ton which they proftably apply.
The aged mother lives with her son john,
and supervises the business transactions of all
When the boys sell their crops, she requires
each to deposit with her the money after pay
ing debts, II any, which they all cheerfully do,
calling her their banker When either OF the boys
need money he has to go to his mother and tell
her what heswants TO do With it. IL she ap-
proves it, she counts il out to him, and whether
she does or not, it is agreeable with him, sub
hitting cheerfully to her decision. The chill
| dren mutually accord TO her this prerogative,
and arc as obcdient to herswill MS when boys
| ten years of age, not only in their financial
| business but they would feel conscientiously
| disobedient, or as uhdutifu Children, il they
| were to lgo to town without her permission,
which they always obtain before doing so. BY
such discipline She brought them up from in
fancy, Until it becAtfle part Of their nature to
obey her will, and perhaps to this cause is at
| tributable all of their success They never
frequent political or othermeetings, where dis
order Is apt to occur, don't have disputes with
| netghBQfs, meyer we've Parties TO a law suit, as
! plaintiffs Or 0e[endants, and are al
together peaceable and law-abiding
citizens, making the most Of their freedom
rs becomes sensible men, and consequently
deserve and have won the esteem and respect
of all their peaeeable aud. lan-nhiding neigh
baue, white ana black.
The mother, old as she is with the assistance
OF her daughters and daughters-in-law, spin
and weave and make up all tie every day
| clothing for all the families, and she and they
| live peacefully and harmoniously as one family,
the females likewise recognizing her as mother
and queen of the family realm.
| Numbers, both white and black, go to see
this colored family. Here is taught discipline
| by the head of the family, obedience by the
children, industry and economy by all. Their
| heads were not turned by the song Of "Forty
acres and mule" and the promises of union
leagues but by honesty, industry and economy
| they labored TO live, and this is the happy re-
suit.
ANOTHER PROSPEROUS NEGRO.